I mention Leslie frequently on the blog, but who is she?
She's my sister (and lets me tape Hartland knock-offs to her golf cart to ensure 18th century reality),
an aunt
and an accomplished horsewoman. This is her gelding, Thor. (She and I both love those varnish roan Appaloosas.)
Leslie is a horse lover from as far back as she can remember.
Leslie laughing in delight the day we found a horse in our backyard. (She is still blonde and I am still curly.)
As a child, she developed a joint issue in both knees and was grounded from riding and other activities for over a year as she healed.
Begging to be allowed to ride again, her doctor finally consented under the caveat that we find a very gentle, bombproof horse for her. Enter Pokey, a former trick pony, who remained with her the rest of his life.
She's been riding horses along the Wabash ever since. On the shoals in front of our home on North River Road
to the grounds of Fort Ouiatenon. (She's with Cee and Amy. The girl is unknown to me.)
Leslie honors her horsey side with the riding habits she wears for The Feast of the Hunters' Moon.
She has been a part of the Feast for forty years, the last seventeen as its director.
And she has a little fun de-stressing in the week leading up to it. (Which would be this week.)
Leslie is stepping down as director at the end of this year's Feast. It's one of those bittersweet times and she will be terribly missed.
But she will still be around and no doubt she will be mentoring her replacement at next year's Feast of the Hunters' Moon.
Happy Trails, Leslie. Ya done good and I love you and am prouder of you than you will ever know.
